Supplements

Who needs them?

A Behind the Headlines report
June 2011

Foreword
Millions of us take vitamins and dietary supplements hoping to achieve good health, ease
our illnesses or defy ageing. Recent years have seen a massive boom in supplement use as
products that were once the preserve of specialist health food stores have become available
alongside our groceries in the supermarket and on the internet. As availability has grown,
so have sales. In 2009 the UK market for dietary supplements and vitamins was worth more
than 670 million.
However, the huge range of dietary supplements now available makes the area something
of a minefield for consumers. Take a browse through the stocks of the UKs leading
supplement suppliers and you will find hundreds of products ranging from acai capsules to
zinc, with everything from devils claw to royal jelly between. Even individual supplements
can come in a range of doses and a number of different formulations, making it hard to
know what is worth taking and what isnt.
The Behind the Headlines team has tackled numerous studies on supplements and during
our work it has become clear that the widely perceived benefits of certain supplements
simply do not have enough robust evidence to support them. At times, these misconceptions
appear to have been formed due to press coverage, at other times because of the way some
products are marketed or because of the sheer volume of misinformation floating around on
the internet.
So how do we know which dietary supplements we should take, whether they work and
whether theyre safe? Where should we be going for reliable information? In this report we
hope to make sense of some of these issues surrounding dietary supplements, and also to
look at a selection of evidence on some of the most popular supplements in use today.

Contents
Overview
What are dietary supplements?
Whats the industry worth?
Who takes supplements and why?
Supplements market share chart
Should we be taking supplements?
How are supplements regulated?
Herbal remedies
What claims can supplements make?

Vitamin supplements
Who needs vitamin supplements?
Vitamins as antioxidants
What can vitamin supplements really do?
Vitamins for fertility
Can supplements be harmful?
Key points on vitamins

Weight-loss supplements
So do they live up to their claims?
Are weight-loss pills safe?
Safe, proven ways to lose weight
Key points about weight-loss supplements

Supplements for colds

Vitamin C
Zinc
Echinacea
Key points about cold supplements

The ageing population: ginkgo, ginseng and glucosamine

Ginkgo
Ginseng
Glucosamine
Key points about ageing supplements

Fish oils
Fish oils for adults
Fish oils for children
The risks of fish oils
Key points about fish oils

Body building
Do the products work and are they safe?
The risks of protein supplements
Other products
Key points about body-building supplements

Conclusion
Why do we take supplements if they are unproven?
Are supplements worth the money?
Supplement your knowledge

References

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Overview
In this report, NHS Choices and Bazian have
attempted to examine both individual
supplements and the culture that surrounds
supplements as a whole. Given the breadth of the
topic it shouldnt be seen as a definitive review of
their merits, but we do hope that it will encourage
people to be more discriminating in the way they
choose supplements and, ultimately, look after
their health.
The Behind the Headlines service reviews two
health news stories each day, looking at whether
media claims match the research, as well as
the strengths and weaknesses of the scientific

There is a huge range of supplements available

studies themselves. We have found that dietary

supplements, which are used by millions of people
each year, are a popular topic for news stories,
but that the claims the media makes arent always
supported by the underlying research. Also,
contradictory conclusions about a supplement will
sometimes be published in the press within a short
space of time, adding to the publics confusion.
Supplements are clearly popular, but its hard to
know what to believe. Are the claims made about
supplements supported by robust evidence? Are
we wasting our money? Are we putting our health
at risk? The answers to these questions are not
clear-cut, particularly as there are hundreds of
different products on the market. However, in this
report we have consulted some of the most robust
evidence on some big-selling supplements to help
consumers make their own minds up, as well as

presenting some news coverage of research to

illustrate the complexity of the messages they can
be faced with.

Dietary supplements contain vitamins,

minerals, herbs or plant material. They
can be found in pill, capsule, tablet or
liquid form and are used to supplement
(add to) the diet, but they should not be
considered a substitute for food, World
Cancer Research Fund1

We start with an overview of dietary supplements,

covering what they are, whether we need them
and how theyre regulated. There youll also
find a summary of the size of the industry from
data collected about the market in 2009. We
then address some commonly used supplements:
vitamins, weight-loss supplements, supplements
for colds, supplements commonly used by the
elderly, fish oils and body-building supplements.
In each section we have tried to provide some
background on each supplement, discuss any
official recommendations on these products
and highlight their market share. We have also
alerted readers about the known side effects of
supplementation and provide links to further
reading and guidance if you are considering
taking them.
Importantly, we highlight key pieces of evidence
that have come to light through the Behind
the Headlines projects. While this report is not
based on our own systematic searches and
appraisals of all available studies (a process
that can take hundreds of hours for just a single
supplement), we have tried to find pieces of
evidence that have carried out this kind of
systematic search and appraisal in the Cochrane
Library a well-respected repository of highquality systematic reviews.
What are dietary supplements?
As their name implies, dietary or nutritional
supplements include any consumed products that
aim to supplement the diet and provide additional
nutrients that may be missing from it, or arent
1

supplements and nutritive drinks and tonics. The

graph overleaf uses the same figures to show the
big sellers of 2009.

Supplements can be expensive

being consumed in sufficient quantities. Todays

supplements contain not just vitamins and
minerals, but herbs, amino acids, enzymes, fibre
and fatty acids. They also come in a variety of
forms, including traditional tablets, capsules,
powders, drinks and supplement bars. They can
be found in supermarkets, pharmacies, health
food shops and, of course, on the internet. Many
supplements are actually classified as foods rather
than medicines and so dont have to go through
the usual checks and regulations a medicine would
go through for safety and efficacy (how well it
works) before being put on the market. They are
covered by the Food Safety Act and should not be
harmful to health.
Other supplements are classified and regulated as
medicines because of their reported effects and
methods of use. This means that different products
that contain the same main active ingredient may
actually have different classifications, with some
classed as foods and others as medicines.
Whats the industry worth?
The supplements market is growing. In 2009,
sales of vitamins and dietary supplements in the
UK totalled 674.6 million, a growth of about
16% over the previous five years2, with the two
biggest-selling areas being multivitamins (138.6
million) and fish oils (139.1 million). These figures
relate to products specifically labelled dietary
supplements and vitamins. They exclude the
categories child-specific vitamins and dietary

Theres a large and bewildering range of products

available, not just vitamins and minerals but
substances as varied as bee pollen, ginseng, garlic,
green tea, omega-3 fatty acids and resveratrol.
Many supplements contain obscure, exotic
substances that its hard to find out about, and
every so often newspapers will feature a story on
some new wonder pill or ancient remedy that has
now made its way to the UK market. According
to industry reports, this growth in sales and
new products is being driven by the UKs ageing
population (15% of us are 65 or older), a more
health-conscious public and easier availability due
to the internet and the growing number of retail
outlets stocking supplements.
Who takes supplements and why?
People take supplements for all kinds of reasons,
usually relating to their health. They hope these will
boost vitality, limit the signs of ageing, extend life,
cut the risk of chronic disease such as cancer and
treat specific ailments such as arthritis. According
to research by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) in
20083, nearly a third of people in the UK take some
vitamin, mineral or dietary supplement on most
days, and about 15% of us report having taken a
high dose supplement in the last 12 months. The
main reason we take supplements is for our general
health and wellbeing.
Market data suggest that joint health is a major
aspect of wellbeing, accounting for 36% of all
supplements sales in 2009. Products that target
health of the heart, bones and immune system are
also popular, as shown below2.

Targets of supplement use (%age of 2009 retail value)

Vitamins and dietary supplements in the UK,
Euromonitor International 2010

Vitamins and dietary supplements in the UK, Euromonitor International 2010

FSA research3 found the following:

women are more likely than men to take

supplements

older people and people in poorer health

are also more likely to take them

the market is not exclusively for adults,

with just over half of households with
children (52%) saying they currently give
them a vitamin or mineral supplement

nearly a fifth of households giving their

children supplements give them the adult
version

Should we be taking supplements?

There is not a straightforward yes or no answer
to this question, both because of the range of
products available and because an individuals
circumstances will govern whether they would
benefit from using a particular supplement.

particular case the most comprehensive evidence

reviews to date suggest that there is no overall
benefit, and bodies such as the National Institute
for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) do not
recommend its use. However, there are certainly
still plenty of people buying glucosamine, and
in these cases its best that this personal choice is
made in an informed way, with knowledge about
what the evidence says and any potential harms.
At the other end of the scale some supplements
sold over the internet, such as certain herbal
weight-loss products, have been found to contain
banned substances that carry a significant risk to
health4. Its clear that in these cases nobody should
be taking these dangerous products.
In short, there is no easy answer to the question
of whether we should be taking supplements, but
what is clear is the need for people to know what
they are taking, to know whether it is likely to
help and to know whether it is likely to harm.

For example, even with popular, well-known

products such as multivitamins things are not

The British Nutrition Foundation advises

anyone concerned about whether their
diet is providing enough nutrients to
discuss this with a health professional. Its
always a good idea to talk to your GP or to
a registered dietitian if youre considering
supplementing your diet. They can give
you advice about whether supplements
will have health benefits for you in your
particular circumstances
as clear-cut as you might imagine. There are,
of course, certain vitamins, minerals and other
nutrients that are essential for keeping the body
functioning, but experts agree that most people
can get enough of these nutrients from eating a
balanced diet and, in the case of vitamin D, from
getting enough sunlight. On the other hand, there
is good evidence that certain vitamin supplements
may be beneficial to the health of certain groups of
people, such as the elderly, pregnant women and
children between six months and five years old.
In other cases, people may be taking supplements
for specific health reasons, for example, using
glucosamine in a bid to protect their joints. In this

If you take supplements, always read the label first

How are supplements regulated?

Depending on how a supplement is classified it
will be subject to different regulation. Below is a
flowchart originally produced by the Government
Chemist to show broadly how supplements will be
classified5. There are numerous regulations and
considerations behind classifying each supplement,
so it should only be considered to be a very
generalised overview of the process.
Medicines legislation
applies.
Food Safety Act
does not.

The Government Chemist provides advice to

Government and industry, applying sound
analytical science in the public interest and acting
as the referee in cases of dispute.

Product

Does it have a
marketing
authorization?

N
Does it contain
herbal substances
and/or herbal
preparations?

Y
Are other
active
ingredients
present?

Is it presented for
treating or
preventing
disease?

Y
Product is a
medicinal
product.
Medicines
legislation
applies.
Food Safety
Act does not

N
Can it be
administered to
humans for
restoring, correcting,
or modifying
physiological
function?

Product is a
herbal medicinal
product

Product is food,
not medicine.
Food Safety Act
applies.

Is it concentrated
source of vitamins,
minerals or other
substances with a
nutritional or
physiological effect?

Y
Product is a food.
Food Safety Act
applies

Is it sold in
dose
form?
Y
Product is a Food Supplement.
Food Safety Act and
Food Supplement Regulations
apply

As illustrated in the chart, in the UK certain

supplements are considered to be foods and will
therefore be regulated under general food laws
by the Food Standards Agency and Department of
Health. Others will be regulated as a medicine by
the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency
(MHRA).
Before a medicinal product can be marketed it must be
approved by the MHRA, which makes its decision
based on the products safety, quality and efficacy6.
If a supplement is considered to be a food, that
does not mean it is unregulated, rather that it
is subject to food safety laws, which are not as
stringent as those for medicines.
There is also EU legislation that dictates which
vitamins and minerals can be included in
supplements7,8,9. Dietary supplements should
only be made with vitamins or minerals that
appear on an approved ingredient list. While
such measures are an attempt to oversee which
substances supplements contain, many also
include other active ingredients that can have
biological effects in the body. These may make
them potentially unsafe as their ingredients can
interact with licensed medicines or with other
supplements. Ginkgo biloba, for example, interacts
with antidepressant, anticonvulsant, antiviral and
blood-thinning medications (e.g. warfarin). The
effects can be undesirable and even dangerous.

Licensed herbal medicines

Some herbal medicines in the UK hold a product
licence or marketing authorisation just like
any other medicine. These are required to
demonstrate safety and quality, and they must
be accompanied by the necessary information
for safe usage. These products can be identified
by a distinctive nine-digit product licence (PL)
number on the product container or packaging
which is prefixed by the letters PL.

Although this new legislation the EU Traditional

Herbal Medicines Products Directive (THMPD) has
come into force, consumers may still find unlicensed
herbal medicines available for sale that do not
feature written claims. This is due to legislation
that stipulates a seven-year transitional period
whereby products legally on the market prior to
2004 could continue to be placed on the market
until 2011. These products will not be taken off the
shelves, instead they can continue to be sold legally,
although stock can no longer be replenished.
The MHRA points out that the standards of these
unlicensed medicines can vary widely, and that
these products have not been assessed by the
MHRA for quality and safety purposes11.
Herbal products and supplements marketed as
foodstuffs will continue to be regulated as foods.
For more detailed information on the THR scheme,
THR numbers and herbal medicines, see the MHRA
website (www.mhra.gov.uk).

Herbal medicines
The way that some herbal products are regulated
has recently changed. As of April 30 2011 all
herbal medicines placed on the UK market must
have a Traditional Herbal Registration (THR)10 or
a marketing authorisation (previously known as a
product licence). The MHRA now defines individual
herbal medicines as either registered traditional
herbal medicines or licensed herbal medicines.

Registered traditional herbal medicines

These products are required to meet
specific standards of safety and quality and
be accompanied by a list of indications
(medicinal uses). These agreed indications must
be based on a history of traditional usage,
and patients should also be provided with
information on the safe use of the product.
These products can be identified by a THR
number on their label and a special logo.

Different supplements are regulated in different ways

I deal with many patients who are led by

clever marketing or packaging to spend
huge amounts of money on so-called
health supplements and products for
which there is no evidence, and which
do nothing at all, Michael Lean,
professor of human nutrition,
University of Glasgow.
What claims can supplements make?
Weve all seen the claims made by supplement
manufacturers for products that maintain the
immune system or keep joints healthy. But
how can we tell whether they are backed up by
proper scientific research? If manufacturers of
supplements claim that their product treats or
cures conditions, they are generally considered to
be medicinal and therefore subject to regulation
by the MHRA. If a supplement has not been
given marketing authorisation as a medicine by
the MHRA, it should not be making claims that
the product treats or cures conditions. However,
they can make claims that their product only
maintains a function (e.g. maintains bone
function) and still be governed by food laws.
Which?, the well-known consumer review
association, is concerned that people are being
taken for a ride by some claims made on
supplement packaging and wants health claims
about supplements to be backed up by evidence12.
The reality is that, at present, the public can have
great difficulty telling which, if any, of the health
claims made by supplement manufacturers can be
supported by firm evidence.
There is EU legislation controlling the use of
nutrition and health claims, which requires all
claims to be assessed and authorised at EU level.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has
looked at the science behind the health claims
of thousands of different supplements, to see
if they stand up. According to Which?12, out
of the thousands that have been checked so

far, it has turned down roughly 80% of these

claims. No-one is able to act on the conclusions
of this research yet, as the scientific assessments
have to be voted on by EU member states, but,
eventually, manufacturers will be forced to
remove all unsupported health claims from
their marketing.
There are, of course, advertising guidelines
that apply to products such as supplements,
and the Advertising Standards Authority (ASA)
has taken action against false or misleading
adverts in this area, asking companies to edit
or remove inaccurate claims under its industry
self-regulation scheme. The ASA can also report
un-cooperative and persistently misleading
advertisers to the Office of Fair Trading.
However, misleading supplement advertising still
occurs, with a 2008 audit of internet marketing
conducted by the ASA finding that 28% of
adverts for health and beauty products failed
to satisfy guidelines13. The audit also found that
when searching for the term slimming, for
example, one in three sponsored search engine
results were in breach of regulations. The ASA
said that users searching for the term slimming
were likely to be presented with search results
featuring problematic claims for slimming pills.

Buyers should be cautious when choosing supplements

Vitamin supplements

Vitamins are vital, but are vitamin pills?

The body needs vitamins in order to function
properly and maintain health, but, despite their
vital importance, the body only needs them in
minute amounts. We need 13 vitamins to maintain
health vitamins A, C, D, E, K and the eight B
vitamins. Each has specific functions in the body:
vitamin C helps to keep cells healthy, vitamin A
is good for eyesight and healthy skin, vitamin
D helps to regulate calcium and is essential for
strong bones and teeth, and vitamin E is needed
to maintain cell structure. With a few exceptions
(niacin and vitamin D), our bodies cannot make
these substances, meaning we need to obtain
them from other sources such as food. If you have
low levels of certain vitamins, you may develop
a deficiency disease. Too little vitamin D, for
example, could lead to rickets in children.

The UK vitamin market (million) in 2009

Vitamins and dietary supplements, Euromonitor

International 2010

Vitamin pills are very popular. Along with

fish oils, they dominate the supplements
market, with consumers spending nearly
208 million on vitamin supplements
2
in 2009 . Nearly 139 million of this amount was
spent specifically on multivitamins, nearly 36
million on vitamin C products (the most popular
single vitamin supplement on the market) and
Behind the Headlines stories on vitamins:
Vitamin D immune system boost?,
March 8 2010
Vitamin B12 and brain volume, September 9
2008
Vitamin E linked to physical activity, January
24 2008
Vitamin C jabs and cancer, August 5 2008

more than 18 million on vitamin B products.

There are clearly plenty of people buying vitamin
supplements but, surprisingly, only certain groups
are considered to benefit from taking them.
Whats the best way to get enough vitamins?
The best way for most of us to get enough vitamins
is to eat a varied and balanced diet. This includes
plenty of fruit and vegetables; plenty of starchy
foods, such as bread, rice, potatoes, and pasta;
some milk and dairy foods; some meat, fish, eggs,
and beans and other non-dairy sources of protein.
Foods and drinks high in fat and/or sugar should be
kept to a minimum. Vitamin D is an exception here.
A small amount is obtained through diet but most
of this vitamin is made under the skin when it is
exposed to sunlight.
The Department of Health set Dietary Reference
Values (DRVs) for the UK population (in 1991). DRVs
provide information on the amount of energy
and nutrients including vitamins and minerals that
a group of people of a certain age range (and
sometimes sex) needs for good health. DRVs only
apply to healthy people.
Dietary supplements and certain foods therefore
carry labels denoting the percentage of the
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) contained in
the product14. RDAs are based on the DRVs and are
used across all European countries. RDAs have a few
differences from DRVs and are used only for food
labelling purposes.
Vitamins
Vitamin A
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin K
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Niacin
Pantothenic acid
Vitamin B6
Folic acid
Vitamin B12
Biotin
Vitamin C

RDA
800 g
5 g
12 mg -TE
75 g
1.1 mg
1.4 mg
16 mg
6 mg
1.4 mg
200 g
2.5 g
50 g
80 mg

Minerals
Calcium
Magnesium
Iron
Copper
Iodine
Zinc
Manganese
Potassium
Selenium
Chromium
Molybdenum
Fluoride
Chloride
Phosphorus

RDA
800mg
375 mg
14 mg
1 mg
150 g
10 mg
2 mg
2000 mg
55 g
40 g
50 g
3.5 mg
800 mg
700 mg

RDAs for vitamins and minerals in the EU

Who needs vitamin supplements?

Certain groups at risk of deficiencies should use
supplements15:

all pregnant and breastfeeding women

should take vitamin D supplements
8

women trying to conceive and women

in the first 12 weeks of their pregnancy
are recommended to take folic acid
supplements, which reduce their childs risk
of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.

people aged 65 and over should take

vitamin D supplements

people with darker skin and people who

are not exposed to much sun should take
vitamin D supplements

all children aged six months to five years

should be given a supplement containing
vitamins A, C and D
Your GP may also recommend supplements
if you need them for a medical condition

If you fall outside of these groups and buy

vitamin pills then the chances are that you will
be spending your money on surplus amounts of
vitamins youve already gained through your diet.
Vitamins as antioxidants
While it has been known for some time that
most people can meet their daily requirement of
vitamins through their diet, in recent years there
has been particular interest in supplements that
will provide high doses of antioxidant vitamins.
Antioxidants have become a bit of a buzzword in
recent years, with all sorts of products proclaiming
that they are a good source of antioxidants.
Of course, this raises the question what exactly is
an antioxidant? In basic terms an antioxidant is
a substance that can interfere with the chemical
process of oxidation, in which an atom or molecule
gives electrons to another substance. While this

may sound a bit complicated, the basic theory

is that unstable atoms or molecules called free
radicals need extra electrons and will steal these
from other molecules in the cell, oxidising them
and leaving them in need of extra electrons
themselves. This can start off a chain reaction
and damage cell components, and this damage
accumulates with ageing. Antioxidants are capable
of safely donating electrons to free radicals
without becoming free radicals themselves. They
can therefore fight the oxidative stress caused
by excess free radicals, which has been implicated
in diseases including cancer and heart disease16.
Several lab-based studies have indeed shown that
certain vitamins can mop up these free radicals
and fight oxidative damage. They include vitamins
A, C and E (as well as selenium, a trace element).
Several observational studies have also shown
that a higher intake of antioxidant-rich fruit and
vegetables is associated with a reduced risk of
chronic disease. These findings have led to claims
that antioxidant supplements can slow ageing,
reduce the risk of chronic disease and reduce the
risk of dying early.
What can vitamin supplements really do?
An extensive review by the respected Cochrane
Library (published in 2008) assessed trials
comparing the effects of a range of vitamins (as
well as selenium) on death rates17. It was one
of the biggest reviews of the effects of vitamin
supplements on mortality to date, pulling in
the results of 67 trials and data on more than
232,000 people. Despite the seemingly plausible
mechanism, the results do not provide the
reassurance that many taking antioxidant
vitamins would wish to hear.
The study found no reduction in mortality in people
who took antioxidant supplements, either in
healthy people or in those with diseases. Separately,
the results on vitamins A and E and beta-carotene
suggest that they may even increase the risk of
death (although these results only just reached
statistical significance). On the basis of these results
the reviewers call for further trials to be closely
monitored for potential harmful effects.
The findings are also leading to a rethink about
free radicals, with the Cochrane researchers saying
that by eliminating free radicals from the body,

Pregnant women benefit from certain supplements

Antioxidants need to be considered

medicinal products and should undergo
sufficient valuation before marketing,
Goran Bjelakovic, lead author, Antioxidant
supplements for prevention of mortality
we may be interfering with essential defensive
mechanisms. Indeed, the process of oxidation is
part of numerous chemical reactions in the body,
and there is some scientific debate over whether
taking huge doses of antioxidants might upset
the natural balance of these reactions. As with
all research, there are important points to note
about the scope of this review. It only looked at
mortality, not effects on health, and most of the trials
in the review used high-dose supplements, so the
findings may not apply to low-dose vitamins or to
the antioxidants found in food as part of a normal
diet. Still, it does show that the antioxidant issue
is complex and, given the results of this research,
it would seem sensible for most of us to rely on a
balanced diet for our intake of antioxidants.
Vitamins for fertility
Then there is the question of fertility. There
have been some theories that antioxidants can
aid conception. Earlier this year the Cochrane
subfertility group performed a review examining
the effect of antioxidant supplements, such as
vitamin E or zinc, on male subfertility18. The
review, which included 34 studies in just over 2,800
couples, showed that a woman was more likely to
have a pregnancy or live birth if her partner took
an antioxidant supplement.
These results are certainly more positive, but its
important to put these results into perspective. The
reviewers themselves said that more research is
needed, particularly relating to the findings on live
births, which came from only three trials featuring
a total of 214 couples. We also dont know from
this research which particular antioxidant, if any,
might be most effective, or at what dose.
Can vitamin supplements be harmful?
It could be construed that taking vitamins
cant really do any harm. People may
believe that at most they will lose some
money. Although the doses of vitamins and minerals
found in most supplements are thought to be safe,

very high levels can be harmful and you are likely to

experience some harms if you take vitamins in large
amounts over long periods of time. For example,
beta-carotene, which is turned into vitamin A by
the body, has been found to increase the risk of
lung cancer in heavy smokers and in people who
have been heavily exposed to asbestos. High levels
of niacin (vitamin B3) can cause skin flushes in some
people. Too much vitamin B6 can lead to loss of
feeling in the arms and legs. Levels of vitamin C
above 1,000mg a day can cause abdominal pain and
diarrhoea. Safe upper limits of many vitamins and
minerals have been set by the Food Standards Agency
and can be found in their 2003 report19.
Its also worth bearing in mind that vitamins are
either water soluble or fat soluble. Those that
are water soluble the eight B vitamins and
vitamin C are used rapidly by the body, and
the excess is excreted rather than stored. Highdose supplements containing water-soluble
vitamins could well be a waste of money as you
could literally end up flushing their expensive
contents down the toilet.On the other hand,
fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K are stored
in the liver and fat tissues. Amounts in excess of
what is needed are more likely to accumulate
in the body and could lead to hypervitaminosis
(vitamin poisoning). Excessive amounts of vitamin
A can have side effects such as abdominal pain,
weight loss, vomiting, blurred vision, irritability
and headache says Emma Williams, nutritional
scientist with the British Nutrition Foundation.
Key points on vitamins

Most of us can get all the vitamins we

need from a balanced diet.

Pregnant or breastfeeding women,

children aged under five years and some
adults do benefit from taking certain
supplements. For more information,
see NHS Choices: Do I need vitamin
supplements?

Vitamin supplements should not be used

as a substitute for a balanced diet. If
you do take them, make sure you do not
exceed your daily requirement.

10

Weight-loss
supplements
Shedding Ibs or shedding s?
Obesity is one of the most serious health issues
in the UK. In England alone, more than one-third
of adults are overweight and nearly one-quarter
obese, with obesity rates predicted to rise by 60%
over the next 40 years20. Its widely recognised that
obesity is linked to major health problems such as
heart disease, type 2 diabetes and some cancers.
Beyond the important health implications, being
overweight can also be a source of unhappiness,
particularly if nothing seems to help shift that
extra weight.
Given the unfortunate fact that its generally much
easier to gain weight than it is to lose it, its not
surprising that growing numbers of people are
turning to over-the-counter slimming supplements
and internet wonder pills. There are dozens, if
not hundreds, of heavily marketed weight-loss
products that claim to contain herbs or natural
substances that work by mechanisms such as
speeding up the metabolism (the rate at which
the body burns calories), blocking the absorption
of dietary fat in the body (fat magnets) or
promoting feelings of fullness.
Even if you dont really believe the claims, its
easy to get drawn into the Wow! I feel great!
captions, the celebrity endorsements and the
before-and-after transformations showing how in
just 60 days some glum, pale, overweight person
has transformed into a trim, happy individual with
a cheesy grin and a pair of jeans that are now 10
sizes too big.
The slimming products industry is
vast: according to the British Nutrition
Foundation sales of over-the-counter
slimming products topped 900 million in
2009 in Western Europe alone.
And indeed, lots of us do end up taking the
plunge, reasoning that for a small outlay we might
transform our bodies and our lives, and that at
worst we will lose a bit of money if our pills dont
work. Well, unfortunately there is little evidence
for some of the products sold by reputable retailers
and, worse still, many of the guaranteed, clinically

proven, 100% natural weight-loss pills sold over

the internet come with no guarantees, have no
evidence behind them and could be packed with
potentially harmful substances.

Am I overweight?
Adults are defined as being overweight
or obese using a measure called the body
mass index (BMI). It is a way of assessing
whether your weight is appropriate for
your height by calculating the ratio of
your mass (your weight in kilograms)
to your height (in metres squared).
The following table categorises weight
according to BMI:
Classification

BMI (kg/m2)

Healthy weight

18.5-24.9

Overweight

25-29.9

Obese

30+

Check your own BMI using the BMI

calculator on the NHS Choices website
So do they live up to their claims?
Manufacturers often cite clinical trials to prove
that their products work. However, many of these
manufacturer-led studies are of poor quality, and
independent research often finds that products
simply dont live up to these claims. For example, a
recent, well-conducted systematic review attempted
to make an independent assessment of the
evidence behind popular weight-loss supplements21.
It gathered together all published reviews on
individual weight-loss supplements, finding nine
that had assessed popular products such as bitter
orange, calcium, green tea, guar gum and chitosan.
None of these existing systematic reviews had
found good evidence that they offered clinically
relevant effects without undue risks.
Even if much of the more reliable research out
there suggests that many popular weight loss
supplements are unlikely to work, people may be
swayed by guarantees that they will get results
from a particular product. For example, weightloss supplements are advertised on the internet

11

with compelling guarantees, such as a full refund

if you dont lose a stone in just 30 days or get the
fat-free stomach youve always wanted.
Products marketed in this way appear to breach
UK advertising guidelines. The Advertising
Standards Agency has said that marketing
communications should not contain claims that
people could lose precise amounts of weight
within a stated period or that weight or fat could
be lost from specific parts of the body.
Indeed, in 2005 the Advertising Standards Agency
looked at the way a range of slimming products
were marketed in regional papers and womens

Manufacturers cherry-pick and only ever

mention the positive trials they then also
fail to mention the mostly poor quality of
their studies. Desperate people are being
misled to buy unproven treatments at
considerable expense, Professor Edzard
Ernst, professor of complementary medicine

magazines13. Out of 48 adverts considered, 24 were

found to be in breach of advertising regulations,
including 10 relating to weight-loss pills and edible
supplements.
Are weight-loss pills safe?
Many ingredients in common weight-loss
pills carry the potential of side effects,
some of them serious. The table below
lists common ingredients in popular weight-loss
supplements along with their reported side effects.
Potential problems such as heart palpitations,
stomach pain and throat blockage are not
particularly pleasant, and these are just those
associated with herbal products being sold
legitimately. The Medicines and Healthcare
Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which is responsible
for ensuring that medicines work and are
acceptably safe, frequently issues warnings about
some products being sold on the internet as
herbal slimming aids. These are often presented
as 100% natural or completely safe, but testing
has revealed that some contain undeclared
pharmaceuticals, banned substances or toxic
ingredients that pose a serious risk to health4.

Table 1 Common ingredients in popular weight-loss supplements, categorised by purported mechanism of action
Purported mechanism of action
Enhance fat or carbohydrate metabolism

Ingredients in weight-loss supplements Reported adverse side effects at recommended intakes

Hydroxycitric acid
Stomach pain
Conjugated linoleic acid
Green tea

Insulin resistance
Drug interactions, potential liver damage for green tea extract

Licorice
Pyruvate
Pantothenic acid (vitamin B5)

Pseudoaldosteronism, hypertension and hypokalaemia

None to date
Excess pantothenic acid (vitamin B5) (e.g. 59 g) is widely known
to cause nausea, headaches, diarrhoea and a lack of energy
None reported
None reported

L-carnitine
Chromium picolinate

Block dietary fat absorption

Stimulants or energy enhancers

Calcium
White kidney bean extract
Chitosan (polyglucosamine)
Ephedra (ma huang) or ephedrine
Bitter orange

Promotes satiety

Caffeine, theophylline or theobromine

(from kola nut, guarana or mat)
Guar gum
Sodium alginate
Glucomannan (Konjac extract)

Psyllium
Reduce stress- or depression-related eating St Johns Wort
Ginko biloba

Laxative

Cascara
Rhubarb root
Flaxseed

None reported
None reported
Gastrointestinal symptoms
Increased heart palpitation, psychiatric,
autonomic and gastrointestinal adverse effects
Increased blood pressure, possible drug interactions
Irritibility, heart palpitations, anxiety and other
central nervous system events
Blockage of the throat, oesophagus or intestine if taken without
~ 250ml of water or other fluid

Drug interactions, gastrointestinal symptoms,

dizziness, confusion, tiredness and sedation
Headaches, dizziness, possible increased risk of bleeding,
gastrointestinal discomfort, nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea,
heart palpitations and restlessness
Potential for usual laxative adverse effects (e.g. dehydration
and electrolyte imbalance)

Sale prohibited in the USA since April 2004.

Sarma et al. (2008).
Sources: Dwyer et al. (2005); Pittler and Ernst (2004); Pittler et al. (2005); Rogovik and Goldman (2009); Saper et al. (2004).

Do slimming supplements work? Gibson-Moore H, Nutrition Bulletin (2010)20

12

For example, a banned substance called

sibutramine was recently found in two Chinese
herbal supplements, Paiyouji tea and Pai You Guo
capsules22. Sibutramine was a prescription-only
medicine until it was withdrawn from the market
in January 2010 following a warning from the
European Medicines Agency that it increased the
risk of heart attacks and strokes. The MHRA has
officially warned people not to use these products.
Despite this, there are still weight-loss sites
marketing these dangerous supplements in the UK.

Your GP can help you to lose weight

Weight-loss wonder pills are unlikely to work

Herbal Flos Lonicerae (Herbal Xenicol) is another

product that appears to be readily sold over the
internet, even though the MHRA has warned
against its use23. This Chinese weight-loss oil has
been linked with side effects such as palpitations,
and at least one patient has needed hospital
treatment after ingesting it. Despite it being
marketed as a herbal product the MHRA says that
the capsules are thought to contain an as yet
unknown pharmaceutical substance.
At least 60 other slimming products have been
given official recalls and bans24, with consumers
warned to stop taking them because they contain
a variety of undeclared, active drugs that may pose
a health risk. Many of these products continue
to be available on the internet, illustrating how
difficult it is to control the sale of potentially
dangerous products.

Safe, proven ways to lose weight

Rather than turning to weight-loss supplements,
your GP should be your first port of call. They will
be able to offer you a number of tried and tested
approaches to weight management. Whats more,
visiting your GP is free through the NHS.
Initially, GPs and other health professionals usually
advise people to maintain a healthy weight by
sticking to a balanced diet and increasing physical
activity. To help you achieve these goals your
doctor can give you specific advice on what you
should be eating and ways to stay active.
Beyond this initial advice your GP may then offer
you more comprehensive, multicomponent
interventions that feature not only activity
programmes and dietary advice on healthy eating,
but also behavioural interventions to help you
achieve your weight-loss goals. Again, your GP can
offer these free as part of your treatment by the
NHS, and they may be able to tailor your plan to
your preferences, fitness level and lifestyle.
Drug treatment with orlistat (see below) may be
considered, but only after dietary, exercise and
behavioural approaches have been started. It may
be used if your target weight has not been reached
or if your weight has reached a plateau. Your
treatment will be carefully monitored and only
continued if it is working. (Drug treatment is not
recommended for children under 12 years of age.)
13

Orlistat
Its worth pointing out the difference between
slimming supplements and a licensed medicine
to help weight loss, called orlistat. This medicine
is available on prescription, with a lower dose
version called Alli available over the counter.
If a medicine is licensed, it has been through
a strict process of rigorous clinical testing to
show sufficient effectiveness and safety. Orlistat
has been shown to work by stopping the body
absorbing fat, so that it passes straight out in your
stools. Research shows it can help some people
lose weight, but even then it is not a wonder pill.
In clinical trials, between one-third and one-half
of participants achieved a 5% reduction in body
mass. Side effects include diarrhoea and bloating.
Read more about weight loss on the NHS Choices
website.

Alli is a licensed weight-loss medicine

Key points about weight-loss supplements

There is very little evidence that most

over-the-counter weight-loss supplements
actually work.

Your GP can offer a range of options both

to help you lose weight and to maintain
a healthy weight. These interventions will
mostly be free, so speak to them first.

If you are still thinking of trying a weightloss supplement be aware of the risks,
particularly if you are shopping over the
internet. You could be wasting your
money or, more importantly, putting
your health at risk.

Dont buy weight-loss products on the

internet because of the risk of side
effects, but if you really want to buy a
product, try searching for information
on reputable sites such as the MHRA or
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
to check for known problems. Also, try
internet searches with words such as
danger, scam, side effects,
although dont assume its safe if
these dont return results.

The MHRA provides regular updates

on herbal safety and has a particular
section alerting consumers to products
that contain undeclared or banned
pharmaceuticals25.

14

Supplements for colds

Vitamin C wont keep the doctor away

Vitamin C is the UKs most popular single vitamin
supplement, with annual sales adding up to about
36 million. Other supplements that people often
turn to when they have a cold include zinc and
echinacea. All of these have been found to have
antiviral properties in animal or laboratory studies,
but do they work for people?

Vitamin C
Researchers have been interested in using vitamin
C to prevent and treat colds for more than 60
years. Some animal studies have found that
vitamin C strengthens resistance to infections. One
theory for this is that the vitamin protects cells
against oxidative stress. However, the results from
trials in people have so far had inconclusive results.
The latest position on vitamin C and colds comes
from a systematic review from the Cochrane
Library26, generally considered to be one of the
most respected sources of systematic review
evidence. The review concluded that there is little
evidence that vitamin C supplementation (0.2g
per day or more) is beneficial within the general
community in terms of preventing infection.
Even higher doses of 1g per day or more did not
prevent colds in the general population.
The same review did find that regular high doses
of vitamin C (1g per day or more) seem to reduce
the duration of colds a little, by 8% in adults and
13% in children. The researchers also found that
vitamin C supplements seemed to have a greater
effect for people who were undergoing extreme
physical stress, such as marathon runners. In
these groups, the supplements halved the risk
of getting a cold, and didnt necessarily need
to be taken in high doses.

the high doses used in some of the trials

(1,000mg or more) you would have to eat an
awful lot of oranges.

The recommended daily allowance of

vitamin C in the EU is 80mg and most
people will achieve this by eating a
sensible diet

In the doses that are available (generally up to

1,000mg daily) vitamin C is safe for most people.
The exceptions are mentioned below. However,
vitamin C is water-soluble, and the body cannot
store excess amounts. What it doesnt need it will
just get rid of when you go to the toilet, raising
the question of whether these supplements are
worth the expense.
Possible harms of vitamin C
Vitamin C is not suitable for everyone. It
can cause dangerous rises in the blood
sugar levels of people with diabetes.
It can also be dangerous for people with genetic
conditions that cause an excessive build-up of
iron in their body, such as haemochromatosis.
Large doses may cause nausea, diarrhoea and
stomach cramps. If you intend to take vitamin C
supplements, it is best to discuss this with your
doctor, particularly if you have any medically
significant conditions.
An orange contains about 70mg of vitamin C

The researchers found no evidence that the

vitamin could treat early cold symptoms, but
they say that more studies are warranted,
particularly among children, who get colds
more often than adults.
Vitamin C is available through many foods we eat,
such as citrus fruits, but do we get enough of it
from the diet to fight colds? An orange contains
about 70mg of vitamin C27, so to get as much as
15

Zinc
Zinc is a trace element that is essential for normal
growth. The mineral has been promoted for many
years as being able to boost the immune system.
Laboratory studies have found that it can inhibit
the replication of the rhinovirus, which is the most
frequent cause of cold symptoms (Cochrane).

Read more about zinc

Zinc for the common cold, Behind the
Headlines, February 2 2011
Until recently, trials investigating its potential for
reducing cold symptoms have had mixed results,
but now the evidence seems to be swinging in
its favour. In 2011, the Cochrane Collaboration
published a review on zinc and colds28. It found
that taking zinc lozenges or syrup within 24 hours
of symptoms starting may reduce the length of
your cold symptoms by about a day. The severity
of the symptoms may also be reduced. Regular
zinc supplements (taken for at least five months)
appear to protect people against catching colds,
and children who take zinc are less likely to be
absent from school or to be prescribed antibiotics
when they are ill. The review was of 15 trials
involving more than 1,300 people, and so is likely
to be reliable. However, whether these small
benefits are worth the expense (around 7 for 30
tablets) is an individual decision.

Rest and plenty of fluids are the best treatment for colds

Take zinc to fight a cold, say

scientists, The Daily Telegraph,
February 16 2011
The body of evidence for zinc
supplementation seems to be swinging
in favour of its benefit, Behind the
Headlines, February 16 2011

Echinacea
Echinacea, a group of plants with pinkish-purple
flowers, is a popular herbal remedy in the UK.
Two echinacea products ranked in the top three
supplements sold to support the immune system in
20092. There are many echinacea preparations on the
market, including tablets, drops, capsules, tincture
and loose tea. The herb also comes in a wide range
of doses from 400 to 4,000mg.
Taking zinc regularly may prevent you from catching a cold

The possible side effects of zinc

If you decide to take zinc supplements,
buy them from a reputable outlet and
keep to the recommended dosages
(available with the pack). The correct dose is
important and there may be side effects including
nausea and an unpleasant taste in the mouth, or
more serious events such as vomiting, diarrhoea
and abdominal pain.

As with vitamin C, laboratory studies have shown

the plant contains substances that can affect the
immune system, but the results from research in
people have been mixed. One large systematic
review undertaken by the Cochrane Collaboration
in 2009 found 16 clinical trials that investigated
different echinacea preparations for both
preventing and treating the common cold29. The
review found that echinacea did not prevent colds,
but some preparations containing a particular
16

species of echinacea plants (Echinacea purpurea)

might reduce the duration and severity of colds
in adults. The reviewers did add, however, that
the results are not consistent and so should be
treated with some caution.
Several echinacea formulations have been tested
in studies. Different parts of the plant have been
used, different methods have been used to process
them and sometimes other herbs are added.
Although systematic reviews are the best way
to summarise the evidence, if trials use different
methods, the findings from pooling them are less
reliable than if the methods used had been similar.
A 2010 trial found that echinacea did not reduce the
duration or severity of colds30. This large randomised
controlled trial (RCT) in more than 700 participants
found that people who took a standardised dose of
echinacea had no significant improvement in either
the duration or the severity of their colds compared
with those taking a placebo.

Herbal remedy really does cure a cold,

The Times June 25 2007
There is some evidence that preparations
based on the aerial parts of E purpurea
might be effective for the early treatment
of colds in adults but the results are not
fully consistent, Cochrane Library 2009

Possible side effects of echinacea

Echinacea is thought to be safe when
used in the short term, although
some side effects have been reported,
including fever, nausea and stomach pain31.
There is not enough information to know if it
is safe for long-term use. The Cochrane review
recommended not taking echinacea for longer
than eight weeks at a time. In trials, the herb
has been well tolerated, with the only side effect
being a rash in some children.

A flower from the Echinacea purpurea plant

Key points about cold supplements

Vitamin C There is no conclusive evidence
that regular vitamin C supplementation,
at moderate or high doses, has any effect
on reducing the general populations risk
of getting a cold. In people who undergo
extreme physical stress, such as marathon
runners, there is some evidence that
supplementation (not specifically with high
doses) reduces the risk of getting a cold.
Regular vitamin C may slightly reduce the
length of a cold in some people.
Zinc There is evidence that taking zinc
within a day of developing symptoms
of a cold reduces the duration of the
cold by about a day and that regular
supplementation (for at least five months)
protects people against catching colds.
For many people, the limited benefit seen
here may not seem worth the expense and
possible side effects of taking zinc.
Echinacea There is a lack of evidence that
echinacea in general can prevent or
treat colds. There is some evidence that
preparations from Echinacea purpurea
might reduce the duration and severity of
colds in adults. However, the reviewers that
concluded this also added that results in this
area are not consistent.

17

The ageing population

Ginkgo, ginseng and glucosamine

According to the FSA, most people who buy

supplements are over 55 years old, so its not
surprising that some of the most popular
supplements are bought in the hope of preserving
memory, joint health and general vitality. Here,
we discuss three big sellers ginkgo, ginseng and
glucosamine. In 2009, consumers spent more than
82 million on these three supplements alone.

Ginkgo
The leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree are used
in traditional Chinese medicine, in particular
for circulatory problems. Here in the West there
are claims that ginkgo extracts help a range
of conditions, including memory problems,
sexual performance problems and eye disorders.
Laboratory studies have suggested that some of
the active compounds in ginkgo may dilate blood
vessels, reduce blood viscosity (thickness), modify
neurotransmitter systems and reduce free radicals32.

The Daily Telegraph had picked up which found

that ginkgo biloba does not prevent dementia.
The trial tested whether ginkgo could prevent
dementia in healthy, elderly people, but found
limited usefulness of the supplement for this
purpose. It was a large, good-quality study in 3,000
people, so we can be confident in the findings.
There seemed to be a small protective effect
for vascular dementia (caused by damaged blood
vessels in the brain), a finding that would fit with
the theory that ginkgo may widen blood vessels.
It wasnt the first time ginkgo had been in the
news for this reason. In June 2008, a smaller study
(including 176 people) also found that ginkgo
didnt benefit people with existing dementia.
A systematic review published by the Cochrane
Library in 2009 provides a robust round-up of the
evidence34. It considered whether ginkgo had any
effect on dementia and cognitive decline, and
concluded that, although it appears to be safe,
evidence that it has any benefit is inconsistent
and unreliable.

More than 6 million has been spent on

ginkgo products every year since 2004.

The leaves of the ginkgo biloba tree

In recent years, ginkgo has been marketed as being

able to prevent the mental decline associated
with ageing, and two ginkgo products are the
top best-selling dietary supplements for memory
health. There is a wide range of products available,
including tablets, capsules and liquids, ranging in
strength from 30 to 500mg.
However, the most recent research on ginkgo
and cognitive decline suggests that many people
could be wasting their money33. In November
2008 Behind the Headlines appraised a study that

Behind the Headlines has covered several

ginkgo stories. Current research hasnt
yet answered questions about its use to
prevent stroke or slow the progression of
a common eye disease called age-related
macular degeneration. You can read the
coverage of these claims here:
Ginkgo biloba and age-related
macular degeneration, March 17 2008
Ginkgo wont stop dementia,
November 19 2008
Ginkgo no benefit for dementia,
June 17 2008
Can ginkgo protect you from strokes?
October 10 2008
Ginkgo herb in seizure warning,
February 1 2010
18

The possible side effects of ginkgo

Ginkgo supplements based on the leaf
extract are thought to be safe for most
people, although minor side effects
have been reported, including stomach upset and
headache35. Ginkgo is thought to thin the blood,
so there is some concern it might increase the
risk of bruising and bleeding. A few people have
experienced bleeding in the eye and brain, and
it may cause problems for people with certain
disorders. People who are about to have surgery
are advised to stop using it two weeks before.
It may also interact with prescribed medications
including anticoagulant drugs. Its best to consult
your doctor before taking ginkgo, to find out if
its safe to do so.

Ginseng
There are several different species of ginseng. They
include Panax ginseng (also called Asian or Chinese
ginseng), and Panax quinquefolius (American)
ginseng. In alternative medicine, ginseng is often
referred to as an adaptogen, which implies a
substance that increases resistance to physical,
chemical and biological stress and builds up
general vitality. The major active components
(ginseng saponins, also called ginsenosides)
supposedly work in several ways, including having
possible antioxidant effects.

products are often bought by consumers who

believe they will experience both physical benefits
and a positive effect on cognitive performance
and wellbeing.
Panax ginseng is probably best known for claims
that it aids memory and concentration, but it
seems that there is no conclusive evidence for
whether or not it works.
A recent systematic review by the Cochrane
Collaboration that assessed the effects of ginseng
supplements (containing ginseng or active agents
of the Panax genus) concluded that although
ginseng appears to have some beneficial effects
on cognition, behaviour and quality of life,
more rigorously designed studies are needed36.
At present, there is no convincing evidence that
ginseng aids the brain or is of benefit to people
with existing dementia or cognitive impairment.
In the UK, the market for ginseng-based
products was worth 8.3 million in 2009.

Ginseng is another supplement that is widely

used for its reputed health benefits, including
combating ageing. According to research, ginseng

Some people believe ginseng combats ageing

The ginseng root

The possible side effects of ginseng

Ginseng products can vary greatly in
their content and quality. Some have
been found to contain little or no actual
ginseng, and some may contain other substances.
Although the ingredient ginseng is generally
considered safe to use on its own for most people,
it can have side effects and may also interact with
prescription medications and other supplements
and herbs. In addition, some ginseng products
have been associated with side effects, including
high blood pressure and hormonal effects.
Ginseng is also not suitable for people with certain
conditions. If you wish to try ginseng, it is best to
consult your GP first.
19

Glucosamine
Glucosamine and chondroitin sulphate are natural
substances found in and around the cells of
cartilage, the flexible connective tissue that protects
our bones at the joints. Both are produced by the
body. Glucosamine is one of the building blocks of
cartilage and chondroitin sulphate is a substance
that helps cartilage retain water.
In osteoarthritis, cartilage becomes thin and stiff,
and the theory is that glucosamine supplements
might help supply the materials needed to rebuild
it. In animal and laboratory studies, glucosamine
was found to normalise cartilage metabolism
and rebuild damaged cartilage. Glucosamine
supplements are often sold in combination with
chondroitin, the idea being that both substances
can slow down the progression of osteoarthritis.
The glucosamine found in dietary supplements is
usually harvested from the shells of shellfish.
There is a large and varied range of glucosamine
products available. Holland & Barrett, the UK and
Europes largest health supplement retailer, sells 43
glucosamine-containing supplements, in different
strengths and combined with other substances (such
as omega-3, cod liver oil and rosehip). They come in
different forms too, including gels, caplets and sprays.
Are the benefits of glucosamine worth the money
spent on it? The latest research suggests not. A
recent systematic review published in the British
Medical Journal (BMJ) pooled 10 studies published
up to 2009, involving 3,802 patients31. Neither
glucosamine, chondroitin or a combination of
the two were found to reduce joint pain or treat
the narrowing of the joint space associated with
osteoarthritis. The authors also say that the
differences in effect between the supplements
and placebo were less pronounced on average
in independent trials than in those funded by
industry. This review itself was well-conducted.
However, it should be pointed out that the trials in
this review were all small, potentially affecting the
reliability of the reviews findings.

Read Behind the Headlines stories about

glucosamine
Osteoarthritis supplement study,
September 17 2010
Arthritis: herbs dont help,
February 11 2009

Possible side effects of glucosamine

Glucosamine is thought to be safe
for most people, although it may not
be suitable for those with certain
conditions, including asthma. It can interact
with medications including warfarin. Reported
side effects include wind, bloating and cramps38.
Glucosamine may not be suitable for people who
are planning to have surgery. Anyone taking
glucosamine should stop at least two weeks before
any surgery. Although there are no reports of
this yet, there is some concern that glucosamine
products may cause allergic reactions in people
who are allergic to shellfish.

Glucosamine is found in the shells of shellfish

Sales of glucosamine in the UK rose

from more than 36 million in 2004 to
nearly 68 million in 2009, and in the
non-vitamin market, sales are second
only to fish oil supplements. Joint health is also the
biggest area in the supplement market, comprising
more than a third of its retail value.

Glucosamine is taken for osteoarthritis

20

NICE does not recommend glucosamine

supplements either39. It says:
The use of glucosamine or chondroitin
products is not recommended for the
treatment of osteoarthritis. Many people
take over-the-counter nutraceutical
products and may benefit from clear,
evidence-based information. It would be
beneficial to advise people who wanted
to trial over-the-counter glucosamine
that the only potential benefits identified
in early research are purely related to
a reduction of pain (to some people,
and to only a mild or modest degree)
with glucosamine sulphate 1,500mg
daily. Because only one glucosamine
hydrochloride product is licensed, it
would not be cost effective to prescribe
glucosamine on the NHS

Key points about ageing supplements:

Ginkgo This supplement is generally

thought to be safe for most people,
but there is very little evidence that it
actually does you any good. A recent
large review found only inconsistent
and unreliable evidence that it has
any effect on the risk of dementia or
cognitive decline.

Ginseng The evidence for ginseng

remains inconclusive and more highquality studies are needed to examine
its effects. A recent review found that
there may be some beneficial effects
on cognition, behaviour and quality
of life, but the level of evidence is not
convincing and there is no evidence
that it can prevent or treat dementia or
cognitive decline. The quality of products
on the market also varies greatly.

Glucosamine NICE says that there is

insufficient evidence to recommend the
use of glucosamine in osteoarthritis.
NICE advise that, if people choose
to buy it, they should be aware that
there is evidence for only minimal pain
reduction in some people with the use of
glucosamine sulphate, and no evidence
that it has any effect on the joint space
narrowing of osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis causes pain in the joints

21

Fish oils

Brain food in a pill?

Omega-3 fatty acids (called polyunsaturated
fatty acids, or PUFAs) are important for the
maintenance of good health. Theyre found in
oily fish such as fresh tuna, mackerel and herring
(as well as in some plants). Omega-3 fats are
essential fatty acids, meaning that the body
cant make them and they must be obtained
from the diet or other external sources.
Fish oil has been associated with numerous
health benefits and often features in the press,
with stories about its ability to help prevent
heart problems, cancer, dementia, asthma, joint
problems and psychosis. Some studies have looked
at whether omega-3 can protect against heart
disease and lower fats in the body (triglycerides).
Others have looked at their use in people with
established heart disease. It is recommended that
people who have had a heart attack eat two-four
portions of oily fish a week.

Fish oils for adults

Two of the most important omega-3 fatty acids
contained in fish oil are eicosapentaenoic acid
(EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Several
animal, laboratory and population studies have
found an association between omega-3 fats
and healthier cholesterol levels, a lower risk
of dementia and reduced vascular risk,
inflammation and oxidative damage.
Yet, so far, the evidence from clinical trials of
omega-3 supplements in humans is far from
conclusive. A 2006 Cochrane review that looked at
all available trials up to 2005 found no evidence
that omega-3 supplements reduce the risk of
cognitive impairment or dementia41.

Media coverage related to fish oil over the last

few years has focused on claims that fish oil may
increase childrens brainpower and concentration.
This theory is based on the idea that the fatty
acids found in fish oils are also major structural
components of cell membranes throughout the
body, and these are especially present in the brain40.

Fish oil supplements are big business.

They are the best-selling product in the
UK dietary supplements market, with
sales worth just over 139 million in 2009
a rise of nearly 40% since 20042.
Herring and other oily fish contain omega-3 fatty acids

Fish oils are unlikely to affect behaviour

Another review of fish oil in 2002 found

no evidence of any effect on mortality,
cardiovascular events such a heart attack or
stroke, or cancers, either in people at high risk
of heart disease or in the general population,
and regardless of whether obtained through
supplements or from the diet42. The reviewers
concluded that, although there is no evidence
to suggest that people should stop taking rich
sources of omega-3, further high-quality trials are
needed to confirm suggestions of a protective
effect on cardiovascular health.
22

Fish oils for children

A substantial proportion of fish oils are sold with
the promise of aiding or improving mental ability,
making them attractive to parents hoping to boost
their childs performance at school. Omega-3
supplements with catchy names, eyecatching
packaging and chewable, fruit-flavoured capsules
compete for market share. A growing number and
variety of foods are now fortified with omega-3.
Some, such as fish fingers and milk, are aimed
specifically at children. In June 2006, Dairy Crest,
which makes St Ivel Advance milk, was instructed
by the Advertising Standards Authority to
withdraw adverts claiming the milk could improve
a childs intelligence43.

Severely troubled boys soothed by fish

oils, The Guardian, October 12 2006
One of the biggest controversies about fish oil pills
was the widely publicised trial of omega-3 using
students planning to sit their GCSEs a story that
was taken up by Guardian journalist Ben Goldacre
in his Bad Science blog (www.badscience.co.uk).
In 2006, County Durham announced a plan to
give 1 million worth of omega-3 fish oil pills to
5,000 children approaching their GCSEs, to see
whether the pills improved performance. Though
the county reported that the fish oil was found
to have a beneficial effect, Goldacre said that the
design of the trial and its execution were flawed,
and that its findings were meaningless.

despite the increase in brain activity there were

no actual differences in cognitive performance
between the groups. This is an interesting result
from a very small preliminary study, clearly
showing that more research is needed before we
can say that fish oil supplements help children
concentrate.
The largest omega-3 supplement study in the
UK yet was also published in 2010 and looked at
omega-3 supplementation in 450 schoolchildren
aged 8-10 years40. This study was one of the few
randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to have used
several different measures of the potential effects
of fish oils in children, including biochemical
measures of PUFA levels, measures of cognitive
performance and measures of behaviour from
both parents and teachers.
It found that, in terms of learning and
performance measures, there were very few
significant differences between children taking
an omega-3 supplement and those in a placebo
group. The researchers concluded that further
work is required on the effect of different PUFAs
and other micronutrients. They said this was
needed in typically developing children and also
children with developmental disorders, to help
define who may benefit from supplements and the
type, dose and ratios that work best.

Despite all the media attention, there hasnt been

much directly relevant research into how fish oil
supplements affect cognition in children44. The
Observer reported in June 2010 that fish oil helps
schoolchildren to concentrate. This was a small
brain-imaging study in 33 children. One group got
omega-3 supplements (not in fact from fish oil,
but from omega-3 fatty acids derived from algae),
another group got a smaller dose of omega-3 and
a third group got nothing.
Researchers compared brain activity across the
groups and found that certain types of activity
increased in both groups taking the supplement,
more so than in the group taking none. However,

Fish oil supplements are very popular in the UK

23

The risks of fish oils

Omega-3 fats are generally regarded as
safe when taken in low doses (3g or less
a day)45. But fish liver oil tablets (such
as cod liver oil) should not be taken by pregnant
women as they also contain vitamin A, which can
harm the unborn baby. Omega-3 supplements
may also be unsuitable for people with certain
conditions and may interact with some medicines
including those that control high blood pressure.
If you are thinking of taking a fish oil supplement,
its best to speak to your doctor.

Schoolchildren do not need to take fish oil supplements

Key points about fish oils

The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils

are important for good health and cannot
be made by the body they must be
obtained from the diet. Eat two portions
of fish a week, one of which should be oily,
such as fresh tuna, mackerel and herring.

Studies have looked at their possible

benefits in people with heart disease
and high cholesterol, but government
bodies advise that current evidence does
not support the use of supplements to
prevent cardiovascular disease. However,
research continues into their use by people
who have already had a heart attack. For
such people, consumption of two to four
portions of oily fish per week is ideal,
though omega-3 may be recommended
as a supplement.

There is no compelling evidence that fish

oils boost brainpower or memory in adults
or children.

Fish oil supplements are not suitable for

everyone, and can be potentially harmful to
pregnant women.

24

Body building

Getting ripped or getting ripped off?

Protein supplements are marketed as being
able to promote your bodys muscle growth, aid
metabolism (helping with weight loss), reach peak
physical performance, boost energy and fight
the ageing process. The supplements are widely
available and sold through magazines, gyms
and personal trainers, and are available over the
counter in many high-street stores and on internet
sites. Some are ready mixed with water, milk,
juice and flavouring to create a shake, and the
range of products includes protein bars, gels and
capsules. These products are usually recommended
to be taken before and after exercise.
Body-building products are growing in popularity
and not just among athletes or body builders.
Muscle supplements are also being bought by
teenagers who want a buff body. A study of
American teenagers found that about 5% of
boys and 2% of girls, aged 12 to 18, used protein
powders and shakes or other supplements to
improve their appearance or strength46.
Stories also crop up in the newspapers about
the supplements, The Daily Mail ran a story in
October 2010 with a headline proclaiming that
a body builder protein powder could increase
life expectancy by 10 years. The newspaper only
mentioned some way into its article that the
research behind these claims was in middle-aged
mice. Mice fed a diet supplemented with certain
amino acids lived longer (by about 95 days) than
untreated control mice.
Body building has become a lifestyle
trend, and the industrys value has grown
to match it. According to Euromonitor,
the retail value of sales of sports
nutrition products grew by 14% in 2010 to reach
200 million in the UK47. Health food shops and
pharmacies are the most popular sales outlets, but
6% of sales are now made via the internet48.

We would generally not recommend

protein shakes for athletes or people
doing exercise as the bodys protein needs
can be met through a healthy varied diet,
British Nutrition Foundation, Sept 2010

Do the products work and are they safe?

So whats in these sports nutrition supplements?
Protein powders are one of the most popular
muscle building supplements. Whey protein
is a by-product of cheese-making and sold as
containing high levels of essential amino acids,
the compounds that form protein.
Protein is a crucial element in our diets and is key
to building and maintaining all types of body
tissue, including muscle. Protein-rich foods such
as meat, poultry, eggs, dairy, beans and tofu all
supply amino acids, the building blocks used for
muscle growth. We need a certain amount of
protein to stay healthy, and serious athletes, such
as endurance runners, may need more.

Eggs, milk and cheese are all high in protein

There are eight essential amino acids that

cannot be made by the body and that need to
be obtained from the diet. Most of us get the
protein we need from our diets. In the UK, the
recommended daily amount of protein for adults
aged 19 to 50 is 55.5g for men and 45g for women
(excluding pregnant and breastfeeding women)49.
Most of us eat more than this, and the actual
average adult daily intake has been estimated
to be 88g for men and 64g for women (British
Nutrition Foundation)50.
In the UK, enough protein is easily available from
our diet. A chicken sandwich with about 65g of
meat (about 2.3oz) contains about 20g of protein.
If you also have a 150ml glass of milk (5g of
25

protein) you have nearly half the amount needed

for the average-weight man, and more than half
of that required for a woman.
Athletes require slightly more protein than the
rest of the population. According to the British
Nutrition Foundation (BNF), endurance athletes
require between 1.2 and 1.4g per kg of body
weight daily, while those competing in strength
and speed events need between 1.2 and 1.7g per
kg of body weight. These intakes can easily be
achieved by eating a normal balanced diet.
A search of the PubMed research database will turn
up a lot of studies on protein supplementation and
its effects on muscle mass and athletic performance.
However, this research has had conflicting results,
some studies finding it beneficial and others
concluding it to have no effect. There are no
Cochrane reviews that would go some way towards
shedding some light on its usefulness in healthy,
non-pregnant, non-elderly adults. The British
Nutrition Foundation says that high-protein diets
are erroneously associated with fitness training
because of the mistaken belief that this leads to
greater strength, since muscle itself is protein.

The risks of protein supplements

Consuming too much protein can
have side effects, including diarrhoea.
There is also evidence that, in the long
term, excessive protein intake may contribute
to bone demineralisation and an increased risk
of osteoporosis, while for anyone with kidney
problems, too much protein can lead to further
complications. Instructions on packages should
be clear about maximum daily amounts because
of potential risks of harm. Supplements arent
always suitable for those aged under 18 and other
groups such as pregnant women. The Department
of Health advises adults to avoid consuming more
than twice the recommended daily intake of
protein49 (55.5g for men and 45g for women).

Recent research on 15 protein powders by the US

organisation Consumer Reports51 also found that
some of the drinks were contaminated with
heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, lead and
mercury. They point out that, while exposure to
small amounts of heavy metals in the environment
and food is inevitable, three products raised
particular concern because consuming three
servings a day could result in daily exposure that
exceeded recommended limits of arsenic, cadmium
and lead. Cadmium raises particular concern,
they report, because it accumulates in, and can
damage, the kidneys.
Whey protein is a by-product of cheese-making

Even athletes can get the protein they need from their diet

Other products
There are numerous other products on the
market that claim to build muscle. They contain
substances such as glutamine (an amino acid),
essential fatty acids, creatinine (a naturally
occurring organic acid that supplies energy
to muscle cells), thermogenic products (any
product that claims to increase body temperature,
metabolism and the rate at which the body burns
26

fat), naturally occurring testosterone boosters

and prohormones. Prohormones are reputedly
converted by the body into natural hormones
such as testosterone and are promoted as a safe
alternative to anabolic steroids.
All of these products are widely available on the
internet, but there is very little good research into
their effectiveness or safety. The Food and Drug
Administration (FDA), the US organisation that
regulates the safety and quality of food and drugs,
has issued several warnings about body-building
products marketed as dietary supplements that
have been found to contain synthetic steroid and
steroid-like substances52. Although these are often
promoted as being safe alternatives to anabolic
steroids, the FDA says that these products are
potentially harmful and there are reports of liver
damage, stroke, kidney failure and pulmonary
embolism (blockage of an artery in the lung)
following their use.

A healthy diet will provide all the protein you need

Key points about body-building supplements

The recommended daily protein intake

is 55.5g for men and 45g for women and
we can get this from our diet. In fact,
most of us easily exceed this every day.

One study that looked at the content of 634

nutritional supplements bought in shops from
around the world and on the internet found that
nearly 15% of them contained illegal anabolic
steroids not declared on the label53. More than a
fifth of supplements from the companies selling
prohormones contained anabolic steroids that
could lead to positive doping results. The sports
community should be aware that some ingredients
are not listed on the labels of these products.

Too much protein can carry some risks,

and heavy metals in some supplements
are of concern.

Claims that protein supplements improve

muscle mass and strength for athletes and
others are largely unsubstantiated.

The public are warned against any bodybuilding supplements, which may be
more likely to do harm than good.

Given the possible risks and the lack of any

evidence for their effectiveness it seems wise
to avoid these products and rely on something
cheaper and far more enjoyable decent food.

Some body-building supplements contain

illegal anabolic steroids not declared on
the label.

27

Conclusion
While this report should not be taken as a
definitive review of individual supplements, it is
clear that the perceived benefits of many popular
products have not been confirmed through robust
research. In some cases these supplements may
even be harmful. Overall, it is clear that we may
be placing our hope in products that still require
far more testing.
Of course, thats not to say that there arent any
supplements that work, or that all are harmful.
There are some products that have been found to
have clear benefits and many have been found to be
generally safe for use. The key point is that we cant
be certain that they are necessarily effective or safe
until they have been put through robust testing.
Why do we take supplements if they are
unproven?
There are lots of reasons why someone might
decide to start taking a supplement. They might
do so based on recommendations from friends and
family, opinions on the internet or having seen it
displayed in a shop.
There can also be media flurries surrounding many
supplements and, on occasions, newspapers have
proclaimed that a supplement works based on the
results of a single, flawed study, possibly alongside
a photo of a celebrity fan or glowing reports
from some new convert. Thats not to say that
the media is solely to blame, but its certainly
easier to fall into the trap of assuming a
supplement works if magazines, newspapers and
television keep telling us it does.
To their credit, newspapers do cover robust
research, including studies that contradict the
results of earlier trials. However, news articles
dont always stress the scientific merits of each
study, meaning that readers may not understand
that the results of a well-conducted systematic
review should be considered to be more reliable
than those from an earlier cohort study. Without
knowing that one set of results is more reliable
than another a reader may assume that two
studies are of equal weight, leading them to
believe that they simply cancel each other out,
that the results are unclear or that scientists just
cant make their minds up.

Also, given the time it takes to build up a decent

body of evidence on a supplement it can be
too late to change the publics opinion. Once a
supplement is already taken by millions and sold
everywhere from the chemist to the corner shop,
are people going to be put off using it by the
results of a robust scientific study? The fact that
we may only study supplements once they are in
use is in contrast to the development of licensed
medicines, which have to provide evidence of
being sufficiently safe and effective before people
are allowed to use them.

People should be able to buy

supplements if they wish to. But they need
good information to make an informed
choice and they shouldnt be put at risk,
Sue Davies, chief policy adviser, Which?
Are supplements worth the money?
While different supplements can greatly vary in
their effects, the one common effect they share
is upon your wallet. Take zinc, for example
although it has been found to have some benefits
you would need to take it for at least five months
to reduce your chances of catching a cold, at a cost
of around 35.
As weve said before, some supplements do have
benefits and may be of use to you depending on
your personal circumstances. We cant tell you
how to spend your money, but we do recommend
that you look at the evidence and seek reliable
information, including your doctors advice, before
you splash the cash.

Pharmacists can offer advice about supplements

28

Supplement your knowledge

The Behind the Headlines team firmly believes in
the importance of evidence, and ideally people
should be fully informed about what they are
taking, whether it has proven benefits and
whether it could harm them.
When considering using a supplement we think a
little bit of scepticism is usually a good thing and,
as consumers, we should get into the habit of
asking some questions and doing some research
before we even consider parting with our cash.
You would do this if you were shopping for other
products such as a mortgage or a mobile phone,
and it is even more important when choosing
products that may affect your health.
In the first instance, there are some simple
questions you should ask yourself before buying
a supplement, including the rather obvious one
of do I really need it?. The answer to this will
depend on the product in question and what
you hope it will do. It may also be useful to ask
yourself:

What do I think this product can actually do?

Is there solid evidence suggesting it will work?

Is it likely to cause me harm?

What do reliable sources of information say

about this product?

Even if it could be of benefit, is it worth the

money?

Is this a problem my doctor can help me with

instead?

Although we are probably a little biased, we would

recommend initially turning to sources such as our
Behind the Headlines service to help answer these
questions. We have already covered news stories
about dozens of supplements and will continue to
do so whenever they appear in the news. There is
also a great deal of reliable information available
from the MHRA, the Department of Health and,
most importantly, your GP.

Good sources of information about

supplements:
NHS Choices: www.nhs.uk
Behind the Headlines: www.nhs.uk/
news
MHRA: www.mhra.gov.uk
Food Standards Agency: www.food.
gov.uk
US Food and Drug Administration:
www.fda.gov

Science moves quickly and relevant studies are

being published all the time, including systematic
reviews by respected organisations such as the
Cochrane Collaboration. Supplementation is
likely to come up as a research topic time and
time again, and as the body of evidence behind
particular products evolves the balance of
evidence may shift, meaning that a product that
had appeared to have merit in initial research may
eventually be found to be lacking when given a
more robust analysis. We recommend reading not
only the available research, but also information
on the way that research itself is conducted, which
can help you understand which types of results are
more likely to be reliable.
Ultimately, though, before you do actually buy or
use a product, you should consult your GP.

Some internet sites are more reliable than others

As a doctor they can offer you an informed

opinion about whether a particular dietary
supplement is necessary or advisable, making these
recommendations based on your personal health
circumstances. They will also be able to check your
general health, make a professional diagnosis of
any health problems you may have and offer you
other forms of treatment.
29

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